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~ ~ It?ll come as no big surprise to my regular readers that the mad cabbie is a complete, total and utter golfing nut. I play the game as often as I possibly can, and when I?m not on the golf course one of my regular hangouts is my local driving range, where I can often be found happily pounding little white balls long into the dark winter nights. (It?s floodlit) When I?m not actually playing the game, then I?ll often be found either writing about it (here at dooyoo and elsewhere) or else reading other people?s views about the sport. ~ ~ There are lots of excellent golf websites on the Web, which are firmly ensconced in my ?favourites? box, and which I read on a regular basis. But that said, nothing really beats a good glossy magazine for a good read. And one of the best golfing mags on the UK and Ireland market is ?Golf World?, which is published on a monthly basis. The publishers are a company called ?Emap Magazines? who are based in Peterborough in England, and the editor is a self-confessed golf nut called David Clarke. ~ ~ Golf World includes everything in its 160 to 200 glossy pages that a suffering golf addict could possibly need to assuage the twitches and withdrawal pangs they suffer when they are removed from their natural environment of the golf links. It contains reviews of all the latest equipment, whether it be balls, bags, shoes or clubs, and gives you price guidelines so you can see whether or not they are within your budget. This month there?s a very interesting piece that warns players about new rules that have been introduced by the Royal and Ancient (golf?s ruling body) which will see many of today?s high technology drivers being outlawed on New Year?s Day 2008. So come 2008 lots of golfers will be running around with VERY expensive lumps of totally u seless titanium in their golf bags, as the clubs will no longer be legal. (Not the mad cabbie, I?m glad to say!) ~ ~ Another interesting feature in this month?s edition is about ?lob wedges?. These are fairly new clubs with lots of loft that have been designed for use around the green for short pitch shots, with the ability to get the golf ball in the air very quickly, and land it softly on the putting surface. (Hopefully close to the hole. Heh, heh) These clubs are now seemingly being used more and more by the top players to replace the traditional ?sand wedge?, the club that is used by most golfers to hit a shot from a greenside bunker. (Sand trap) But as the bunker technique for the two shots (sand wedge and lob wedge) is very different, Golf World go on to show you the way to play the shot, and then put it to the test using half a dozen golfers of varying ability to see whether or not it is an actual improvement over the traditional method. (It is!) So a new lob wedge will most likely be finding its way into the mad cabbie?s golf bag this coming season. ~ ~ As well as equipment reviews, Golf World have lots of features both about, and written by, some of the biggest games in golf. This month?s edition has an excellent profile on Sergio Garcia, the young golfing superstar from Spain, and speculates whether or not this will be the year he finally makes the breakthrough and manages to win a Major tournament. (Like the US Masters or The Open Championship) Personally, I fancy him to do just that, and will be placing a modest wager on him to win the first Major of the year, the US Masters at Augusta. (Remember you heard it here first, and don?t moan if you don?t get your bet on in time. Heh, heh) There are further profiles of some of today?s up and coming young golfing stars, the likes of Australia?s Adam Scott, England?s Paul Casey, and the latest golfing sensation from across the pond, (the USA) Charles Howell. ~ ~ Nick Faldo writes a column for Golf World, and has come up with an innovative suggestion to stop the seemingly endless technological advancements in equipment design totally ruining the sport. (By making it too easy to hit a good shot!) He suggests (somewhat tongue in cheek) that the use of tee pegs should be banned entirely! This is the small wooden or plastic tee that golfers place their golf ball on when they take their tee shot. By doing this, it would mean that only the very best players would be capable of hitting a driver, as the lack of loft on the club would make it an impossible shot for your average golfer. But somehow I don?t think this is an idea that will catch on, as it would spoil the game for too many people! (Think again Nick!) ~ ~ At the back of the mag there?s a brilliant feature about taking a golfing holiday in a variety of different locations worldwide. My own beloved Ireland gets a good rating here, but it also includes information about golfing in countries less better known for their golfing pedigree, like Turkey and Italy. The feature gives you the location of recommended golf courses, and I?ll be referring to this again once we finally decide where to take our family holiday this coming summer. (To make sure there?s a decent golf course to hand, naturally. Heh, heh) ~ ~ If following the respective European and USA Professional Golf Tours is one of your pastimes (as it is mine) then you are well catered for in the Golf World magazine. All the latest statistics are here, with the top listings for the longest drivers, the best putters, the best bunker players, as well as the folks who are topping the list of m oney winners. Some good competitions are included that you can enter, with the chance to win yourself some tasty golfing goodies. This month you can win a full set of ?Precept? irons, which retail at about the £900 (Sterling) mark. ~ ~ Anything I don?t like about Golf World magazine? Well yeah. But it?s a small crib really. I don?t like the multitude of advertising inserts that you seem to get with each edition. I don?t mind the paid ads that are included in the magazine itself. But those damned loose leaflets about everything from credit cards to medical insurance are simply a blasted nuisance. Advertisers seem to ?target? golfers these days, as they seem to think we have loads of loose dosh lying about the place! (I?m saying nothing!!) ~ ~ Golf World is published on a monthly basis, and is available at most newsagents at ?5.92. (Or £3.30 in the UK) You can also take out an online subscription to have it delivered direct to your door by post for only £19.80 for six issues, (http://www.greatmagazines.co.uk) and you receive a free gift worth £25 (supposedly) if you opt to use this method. Cheap at the price, and one of the mad cabbies favourite golfing magazines. Highly recommended, but only if you are a golfing fanatic like myself. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright KenJ February 2004 ~~~~~~~~~~~~